The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is considering filing a joint citizen lawsuit with civic groups against the National Communications Commission (NCC) for refusing to annul a media merger deal that many academics say will create a media monopoly.
DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊毅) said yesterday that his party “is studying the feasibility of bringing up a citizen lawsuit together with civic groups after the NCC refused a DPP request to void conditional approval of the deal.”
With three suspension clauses and 25 additional clauses, the NCC on July 25 conditionally approved Want Want China Times Group’s (旺旺中時集團) NT$76 billion (US$2.52 billion) acquisition of the cable TV services owned by Chinese Network Systems (中嘉網路), a deal that many fear would affect as much as one-quarter of Taiwanese households and jeopardize press freedom in Taiwan.
The NCC has made clear that the resolution would be final and it would not void the deal.
NCC Chairman Howard Shyr (石世豪) rejected the DPP’s request to void the deal after meeting with a DPP delegation led by Lee and DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) on Thursday, saying “the case was closed because it was approved with independent and professional consideration.”
The commission reiterated its position on Saturday with a press release issued after a protest of about 6,000 people in Taipei, which called for annulment of the deal and respect for journalistic professionalism, adding that deciding whether current laws should be amended or a new law established would require further discussion.
The DPP previously said it may file a lawsuit against the NCC for corruption and malfeasance if its request were denied. Lee said yesterday that the party and its legal team were still assessing the option.
For now, the DPP is thinking of collaborating with civic groups on a citizen lawsuit, a form of administrative lawsuit seldom used since the citizen suit provision was passed in 1999.
Lee said the DPP’s legislative Caucus would propose an amendment to the Cable Radio and Television Act (有線電視法) to write retroactive anti-monopoly clauses into law.
Civic groups had expressed their wish for an anti-media monopolization law in their meeting with all political parties.
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers